Medical waste - Iowa

The EPA has not had regulatory authority over medical waste since the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 expired in 1991. Most states have since developed their own programs, resulting in significant differences for each state. A summary of this state’s requirements includes the following.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Environmental Protection Commission regulates special waste (8 IAC 567-109), which includes infectious waste. It doesn’t include medical waste that doesn’t require special handling or limitations on its disposal (567-100.2). The regulations at 567-109 cover:

• 109.2 Authorization required,
• 109.5 Application requirements,
• 109.6 Restrictions,
• 109.7 Landfill responsibilities,
• 109.8 Generator responsibilities,
• 109.9 Infectious waste requirements, and
• 109.10 Other special waste requirements (including radioactive waste).

Related information

• Medical waste RegSense

Citations

• Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 261
• Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 262
• Federal regulation 29 CFR 1910.1030
• Federal Regulation 49 CFR Subchapter C
• Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 567-109